January 6, 2015 - Glyphosate Feeds Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

Tuesday, January 6, 2015 -A peer-reviewed study recently published in the Brazilian Journal of Microbiology titled, "Influence of glyphosate in planktonic and biofilm growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa," indicates that the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate) may be contributing to the enhanced growth of the P. aeruginosa. This pathogenic bacteria has great medical significance and is commonly found in watercourses and reservoirs in both aerobic and anaerobic forms, and can be a source of waterborne infection.

The new study indicates that both the aerobic and anaerobic strains of this bacteria can thrive when exposed to varying concentrations of glyphosate. Also noted was the increased ability of glyphosate to support the growth of so-called biofilms, a closely adhering colony of bacteria embedded in a self-produced matrix of a "slimy" nature. Biofilm colonies are far more virulent and exhibit the kind of antibiotic resistance found in serious infections in humans, such as skin infections and pulmonary complications associated with fatal conditions such as cystic fibrosis.

Previous studies have shown that Roundup herbicide not only destroys beneficial soil bacteria but also shifts the gut bacteria of animals towards pathogenic strains of bacteria, including the deadly botulism-associated Clostridium botulinum strain.

As the ubiquitous Roundup continues to accumulate in larger amounts in the environment, there is a growing concern that it may be upsetting the natural microbial balance upon which our own microbial health depends.